City’s Water Pipe Fix Could Be Worse Than No Fix At All

A close up view of a partial lead service line replacement, which shows an old lead pipe connected to a new copper pipe
Miguel Del Toral said city workers attached this copper pipe to his lead water service line outside his Southwest Side home in 2012. Photo courtesy of Miguel Del Toral, Photo illustration by Paula Friedrich/WBEZ
A close up view of a partial lead service line replacement, which shows an old lead pipe connected to a new copper pipe
Miguel Del Toral said city workers attached this copper pipe to his lead water service line outside his Southwest Side home in 2012. Photo courtesy of Miguel Del Toral, Photo illustration by Paula Friedrich/WBEZ

City’s Water Pipe Fix Could Be Worse Than No Fix At All

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The city of Chicago has been digging up streets to replace old water mains for at least seven years now. It’s been one of Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s signature projects. But in the process, crews have sometimes broken lead water lines that lead to homes. And the way they fix them could be spiking lead levels in those homes. WBEZ’s Monica Eng stops by the Morning Shift for more on this story.